Raymond, New Hampshire
Rockingham county. This town lies 25 miles W. by S. from Portsmouth, 25 S.E. from Concord, 13 W. by N. from Exeter. Two branches of the Lamprey river, from Deerfield and Canada, unite in Raymond; and the waters of two ponds also fall into this river as it passes through the town. The Patuckaway, from Nottingham, crosses the N.E. corner into Epping. The soil is various: that of the meadows bordering on the river is productive. In the N. part of the town, about 100 rods from the principal road leading to Deerfield, near the summit of a hill about 100 feet high, is a natural excavation in a ledge, called the Oven, from the appearance of its mouth. It is a regular arch about 5 feet high and of the same width, extending into the hill about 15 feet, and terminating in a number of fissures. Raymond was originally that part of Chester called Charming-fare. It was incorporated in 1765 by its present name. The names of 24 inhabitants of Raymond are found enrolled among the soldiers of the revolution, beside numbers of the militia engaged for short periods. Four were killed or died in service. Hon. John Dudley, a distinguished patriot of the revolution, member of the committee of safety, speaker of the house, and judge of the superior court, died here May 21, 1805, aged 80. Population in 1830, 1,000.
